Softball

Softball

Belles Stopped by Flying Dutch

Duncan added a 2-for-2 effort at the dish with a double in the nightcap.

HOLLAND, Mich. - Less than 24 hours after posting 21 runs in two games, the Saint Mary's softball team had a tough time finding offense in a 2-1 (8 inning) game one loss and a 7-0 setback in game two at Hope on Saturday.

The Belles had a chance to strike in the top of the first inning before a strikeout left runners on first and second. Neither team was able to get a runner into scoring position until the host Flying Dutch put together a two-out rally in the third. With runners at first and second, Hope got a single to drop into right field to plate the baserunner from second for the 1-0 lead.

Saint Mary's threatened to tie the game in their next at-bats when Kayla Chapman laced a one-out double to left field. A fly out and a strikeout, however, ended the inning without any further damage. An inning later, the Belles broke through in dramatic fashion as Makenzie Duncan led off the fifth with a home run to right field to knot the game at 1-1.

The Belles were in a position to go ahead in the top of the seventh inning after Caitlyn Migawa led off with a single to left field. Krystal Harris came in to pinch run for the junior first baseman, and Harris moved up 60 feet on a ground out. Saint Mary's was unable to get the clutch hit as a fly out and a strikeout ended the seventh.

The Flying Dutch put the potential game-winning run on with a single in the seventh, but Morgan Raymer drew a pop up to first base before striking out the third out of the inning. The Belles were once again poised to go ahead in the eighth inning. Jamie Young led off with a single to left and advanced to second on a fielding error on the hit. Young moved up to third after a ground out, but the sophomore was stranded 60 feet away from scoring after a ground out to the pitcher and a fly ball was caught in foul territory by the Hope second baseman.

The second batter of the inning for Hope was hit by a pitch, but a ground out put the Belles one out away from going to the ninth inning. The Flying Dutch, however, responded with back-to-back singles to score the game-winning run in the 2-1 final.

Makenzie Duncan belted a solo home run in the opener for the Belles. Kayla Chapman added a double, and Jamie Young and Caitlyn Migawa tallied singles. Morgan Raymer shouldered the extra-inning loss in the circle after allowing two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.

Hope used the momentum built at the end of game one to build a quick lead in game two as the Flying Dutch plated two runs in the first and one in the second.

In the bottom of the third, Duncan sent a double into right-center field to ignite the offense. A sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Richards advanced Duncan to third, but the sophomore was cut down at the plate on Jamie Young's fielder's choice back to the pitcher.

Hope plated three more runs in the top of the fifth to push their lead to 6-0. Duncan tallied her second hit in as many at-bats with single up the middle with two outs, but a ground out ended the inning for Saint Mary's. The Flying Dutch posted a run in the top of the sixth before Cassie Young singled with two outs in the bottom of the sixth for the Belles. The sophomore outfielder, however, did not advance any further as a ground out ended the inning. The Belles were unable to get the offense firing in the seventh inning as a three-up, three-down trip to the plate ended the game.

Cassie Young went 3-for-3 in game two while Makenzie Duncan added a 2-for-2 effort at the dish with a double. Jessica Alberts suffered the pitching loss after being tagged with three runs in two innings of work. Mary Green went 3.1 innings and surrendered four runs before Sarah Burke closed out the final 1.2 innings.

The Belles (17-14, 7-5 MIAA) travel to Defiance for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, April 26 starting at 3:30 p.m.